OptionsPlay DailyPlay Ideas Menu – August 14th, 2026

📊 What’s Driving The Market

• The S&P cleared 7,800 for the first time: A cool PPI print reinforced the disinflation trade, lifting the S&P to a record 7,798.99, the Nasdaq up 0.81% to 26,803, and both to fresh highs. July producer prices came in flat month over month against a 0.2% consensus with core also below forecast, which combined with Tuesday’s soft CPI to pull the 10-year down 4 basis points to 4.64% and give long-duration growth room to run.
• Megacap tech carried the tape: Meta rose 2.78% and Tesla 3.80% to lead, with Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, and Alphabet all adding as the XLK gained 1.01%. Amazon was the notable laggard, down 0.80%, as consumer discretionary underperformed for a second session on rotation into growth and quality names.
• Crude was routed on a huge inventory build: WTI fell 2.64% to $81.07 and Brent 2.30% to $86.93 after a stunning 17.4 million barrel EIA crude build, the largest since January 2023, compounded by the IEA and OPEC both cutting their 2026 demand forecasts. Energy equities held up despite the rout as refiner strength offset the front-month damage.
• The disinflation setup is intact: With both CPI and PPI landing benign, the pipeline inflation read gave the front end a bid and softened the dollar, and rate-cut odds for later in the year firmed. Small caps still lagged and breadth stayed narrow, but the megacap growth complex is being rewarded with lower rates as the melt-up extends.

OptionsPlay Trade Ideas: The Daily Brief

💰 The Income Generators (High Probability, Cash Flow)

• INTU: Adding to our winning position as INTU breaks out above $350 toward $385.
• CRM: Adding to our winning position as Salesforce breaks out above $200 toward $230.

🚀 The Growth Seekers (Higher Risk, Max Reward)

• GPN: Buying a call spread as Global Payments completes a bottoming breakout above $90 toward $110.

🛡️ The Portfolio Protectors (Hedges & Bearish Bets)

• No trades today for this category.

1. INTU ($358.29): Adding to the Winner on the $350 Breakout

• We’re betting on: Intuit broke out to fresh strength on AI-driven growth and an upgrade to our building-outperformers list, and for INTU to stay above $350 by expiration to capture the full credit.
• The Trade: Sell to Open the INTU Sep 18, 2026 350/320 Put Vertical @ $12.35 Credit.
  • 🔴 SELL TO OPEN Sep 18, 2026 350 Put @ $23.60
  • 🟢 BUY TO OPEN Sep 18, 2026 320 Put @ $11.25
• Trade Metrics: POP: 57.46% | Collect $1,235 per contract vs. a Max Risk of $1,765 (1.43:1).
• The Setup: INTU broke out above its $350 resistance, which now becomes support, on a 7.04% move to $358.29, and was upgraded to our building-outperformers list, with the 1-month trend bullish and a $385 upside target. This adds to a winner we already own: our short Sep 18 320/290 put vertical from July 30 is up about 46% (+$515), and this higher-strike 350/320 credit spread presses the same bullish thesis. Intuit continues to compound double-digit growth with AI monetization across TurboTax and QuickBooks, guiding fiscal 2026 revenue growth of 11% to 12%. The 350/320 put vertical collects $1,235 against $1,765 of risk with a 57.46% probability of profit and a breakeven of $337.65, back below the breakout.
• Management:
  • ⚠️ Warning: Earnings are scheduled for August 25, 2026, potentially requiring active monitoring around the event.
  • Stop Loss: Buy back the spread at $24.70 (100% loss of credit received).
  • Take Profit: Buy back the spread at $6.18 (50% of max gain).

2. CRM ($201.37): Adding to the Winner on the $200 Breakout

• We’re betting on: Salesforce broke out on accelerating Agentforce AI growth and an upgrade to our building-outperformers list, and for CRM to stay above $200 by expiration to capture the full credit.
• The Trade: Sell to Open the CRM Sep 25, 2026 200/185 Put Vertical @ $6.50 Credit.
  • 🔴 SELL TO OPEN Sep 25, 2026 200 Put @ $12.93
  • 🟢 BUY TO OPEN Sep 25, 2026 185 Put @ $6.43
• Trade Metrics: POP: 55.32% | Collect $650 per contract vs. a Max Risk of $850 (1.31:1).
• The Setup: CRM broke out above its $200 level on a 4.16% move to $201.37, and was upgraded to our building-outperformers list, in a bullish trend with relative strength at 7/10 and a $230 upside target. This adds to a winner we already own: our Sep 4 190/215 call vertical from July 30 is up about 48% (+$1,133), and this Sep 25 200/185 credit put spread layers additional bullish exposure. The AI story is accelerating, with record Q1 fiscal 2027 results, non-GAAP EPS up 50%, and Agentforce revenue past a $1 billion annualized run-rate. Note the short strike sits right at the money, so the risk-reward is a near-the-money 1.31:1. The 200/185 put vertical collects $650 against $850 of risk with a 55.32% probability of profit and a breakeven of $193.50, below the current price.
• Management:
  • ⚠️ Warning: Earnings are scheduled for August 26, 2026, potentially requiring active monitoring around the event.
  • Stop Loss: Buy back the spread at $13.00 (100% loss of credit received).
  • Take Profit: Buy back the spread at $3.25 (50% of max gain).

3. GPN ($94.83): Buying the Bottoming Breakout

• We’re betting on: Global Payments is completing a multi-month bottoming breakout as its Worldpay integration progresses, and for GPN to close above $110 by expiration to capture the full spread.
• The Trade: Buy to Open the GPN Oct 16, 2026 90/110 Call Vertical @ $7.42 Debit.
  • 🟢 BUY TO OPEN Oct 16, 2026 90 Call @ $9.25
  • 🔴 SELL TO OPEN Oct 16, 2026 110 Call @ $1.83
• Trade Metrics: POP: 40.60% | Pay $742 per contract vs. a Max Reward of $1,258 (1.70:1).
• The Setup: GPN broke out above its $90 resistance on strong volume to $94.83 while outperforming the S&P 500, completing a multi-month bottoming formation that targets $110, in a bullish 1-month and 6-month trend with relative strength at a maximum 10/10. This is a defined-risk bet on a fresh 52-week-high breakout. The fundamentals support the turn: Q2 2026 adjusted net revenue grew 34% to $3.16B with the Worldpay integration progressing and the Genius platform accelerating, adjusted EPS up 12%, a 42% operating margin, and full-year EPS guidance of $13.60 to $13.80 for 11% to 13% growth, with Susquehanna keeping a positive rating and a $111 target. The 90/110 call vertical costs $742 and pays up to $1,258 if GPN reaches $110, a 1.70:1 payout on strictly defined risk, with a breakeven of $97.42 and maximum value at or above the $110 short strike by October expiration.
• Management:
  • Stop Loss: Sell the spread at $3.71 (50% loss on premium).
  • Take Profit: Sell the spread at $12.99 (75% gain on premium).